AUDIT: ENERGY UPGRADES COULD SAVE CITY $30K

SANDAG, SDG&E make suggestions that could cut National City annual expenses

NATIONAL CITY 
National City could save up to $30,000 a year by replacing lights and other fixtures in many of its buildings and parks with more energy efficient models, according to a new report from SANDAG.

The Energy Roadmap, a collaborative effort between SANDAG and San Diego Gas & Electric, states that pool covers at Camacho Pool would have the biggest payoff for the city, saving it $18,989 per year.

It also estimates the city could save almost $1,900 annually by using alternative fuels, and between $1,000 and $1,400 annually by replacing fleet vehicles with hybrids.

The city right now uses around 9,500 gallons of gasoline and diesel per month and spends more than $400,000 annually to keep the fleet fueled, the report stated.

All the recommendations in the 61-page document are optional, said SANDAG Regional Energy and Climate Planner Allison King, who presented it at a Dec. 18 City Council meeting.

But it behooves cities to do what they can, she said.

“We think that having the energy plan at our cities also offers the cities opportunities to compete for other funds in this area,” King explained.

The Energy Roadmap is paid for with a percentage of ratepayers’ fees to SDG&E.

The primary goals of the program are to help cities save money on utility bills and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. While most municipalities in San Diego County perform above the national average when it comes to energy performance, she said, SANDAG hopes to help them keep up their momentum. The road maps are divided into two chapters addressing how to save energy in government operations, and how to save it in the community.

“In the community side, we look at the planning efforts and also how the city can be a conduit to the community to provide information about incentives that are available and promote green jobs and workforce training,” King said.

She suggested that a good first step might be posting the Energy Roadmap to the city’s website so residents and business owners can access it easily for reference.

Teams that assess each city not only identify energy-saving projects, King said, but they also identify financing available to help pay for those projects, like zero-interest and low-interest loans from SDG&E and the California Energy Commission. The recommendations are almost always tied to other organizational goals that each city has, she added.

National City adopted a Climate Action Plan in May 2011 outlining its strategy for reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 15 percent compared with its 2005 baseline, and by 50 percent in 2020. The Energy Roadmap offers more tools to use in that effort, King said.